The dichotomy of our run game...

IMO I think Roper or Daddy Bentley has gotten smarter as the season has progressed. I know Turner is a strong back for his smallish size and has huge heart, but early in the season it seemed the staff never considered the ramifications of choosing to run smaller backs (Turner) up the middle as opposed to running larger, more power backs (Dowdle, Williams, Denson).

There is also the factor of the OL and its run blocking, as well as the constant change of the OL personnel all season due to injuries. That cannot be dismissed.

But lately it seems we're using our backs smarter than we did in the early stage of the season. Turner has been running more to the outside of the tackles, and often using a TE to lead block just for a little bit, to give AJ some breathing room and a dash of open field, and it has resulted in substantial improvement.

And we saw how effective Mon was blasting through the middle of the line as a change-of-pace power back. Got him his best game as a Gamecock to date....

With the final two gms left plus a bowl game, our OL has gotten healthier and we've been able to have more stability there. We can utilize two types of backs in Turner and then Williams/Denson, as long as we continue to put them in positions their skill-sets can best be effective.

We averaged 188 rushing yds and 5 YPC in the 3 SEC gms leading up to the UGA gm, and then was stymied for 43 yds in 17 carries. I think we'll have another solid to great rushing effort next week, but the Clemson game we may get stymied again. But we do look like we're figuring some things out....

quote:

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Turner has been running more to the outside of the tackles, and often using a TE to lead block just for a little bit


Been preaching that since the first game.

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Good coaches call plays that their players can execute. Turner excels more in this type of run and UF was the 1st time that they called it with any consistency. Yes you have to run inside some but the off tackle run is what we need to run the most of.